Passport to the Library

So I decided to do something a little fun this Monday! Why not take a little vacation to some fabulous libraries that we all wish we could visit! Since today is Memorial Day I've decided to not share a snippet, more or less because writing Mystic hasn't really happened lately, revisions and a new WiP has been in progress!!

So without further ado, let's start our journey!!

New York Public Library



It is one of the greatest libraries in the world, and is often referred to as the museum-library. At present time the library repository counts up to 43, 3 million scientific documents and 15, 5 million books. Apart from books it contains pictures, plates, engravings of famous and lesser-known artists granted together with books.

Library of Duchess Anna Amalia in Weimar, Germany



The library located in Weimar is more famous as Goethe’s Library; in 1797-1832 the poet was its constant visitor. The library contains the richest collection of The Faust editions and musical manuscripts, handwritten books and ancient maps. During the fire of 2004 the library archives were severely damaged, however, now the library is completely renewed.

Library of Alexandria



Nowadays it is the main Egyptian library, the cultural centre located on the seashore of the Mediterranean in the city of Alexandria. The library is the memorial of the Royal Library of Alexandria destroyed in Ancient times and the modern research and educational centre at the same time.

Argentina Library



St. Florian Library, Austria



The library is located in the eastern side wing of St Florian Abbey. It had been built in 1744-1750 by G. Hayberger. The library ceiling is painted by Altomonte and the rococo gallery stretches along the walls.

So there are just a few libraries around the world that look amazing!! Do you have a bookstore that you'd love to go to? A library of your very own that you adore? Happy Monday!!


If you'd like to see more I found this information here.

CRAZY AWESOME BLOGGERS

I've been bad. Very bad. I've been hoarding blogs. Don't be angry. I'm fixing it now. So I've decided to give them all to you. I also for some reason thought that periods would make this post cooler. I was right wasn't I. They're totally awesome. It shows so much emotion. Okay so enough fun (wasting your time) let's get down to business!!

AWARDS!!!!!!

The Journey Award, Christine Danek. was sweet enough to share this award with me. If you have never visited her blog you must, she always has such sweet words and awesome advice on writing. Not to mention she has her fantastic Write the next line post where you help create a story with fellow writers. It's so much fun and I love that she is still keeping up with it.

So now I must give this award to several very deserving people!!


So I'm awarding this too:

Talli Roland
Shannon
Kimberly Franklin
Kristin Creative
Joanne
The Alliterative Allomorph
Candyland
Clara
Crystal Cook
Sarahjayne

I would have loved to share reasons on why I loved all of my fellow blog buddies but it honestly would take more than one post! So their names will have to do for now, but know that I love all of you! And to those of you who were give this award I am also giving you the BFF Award, you are truly some great peeps who've helped me grow and picked me up when I needed some help!

Lydia awhile back gave me the Awesomesauce Award and I've shamefully never given it away nor have I given her the love she deserves! Her blog is brilliant and if you don't know her you certainly should!



I'm awarding this too:

Wavy Lines
Slushpile Slut
Samantha Bennett

Congrats to you awesome peeps! May the awesomeness continue!

Samantha Bennett awarded me the Stylish Blogger Award and much like Lydia's I held it FOREVER and that means you probably still have yet to visit her blog and you must! Her background is the cutest, super sparkly and wonderful!



I'm awarding this too:

E. Elle
Karen Amanda Hooper

These ladies rock my socks off!! They are stylish in every sense!

Talei awarded me the Beautiful Blogger Award. She's the sweetest thing, especially since she invited us for afternoon refreshments that afternoon in the garden. What a delightful girl.



I'm awarding this too:

Lynn
Angie Paxton
Portia Sisco
Tess Hilmo

They are super sweet chicks!

The wonderful Candyland gave me the BFF Award!!! Love it! She's hilarious and keeps life interesting on the blogosphere, she is also a participant each week in my something vs. something video extravaganza and I love her for it!



I'm awarding this too:

Susan Fields
T.J. Carson
Lindsay
Carolyn V.
Amber Tidd Murphy
Amy Saia
Justine Dell
Creepy Query Girl
Christina Lee

So there is the love you all deserve!!! I hope you enjoy your fabulous awards and cherish them! After all who knows when I'll actually get around to handing them all out again! If I've missed an award you've given me I'm sorry!!! Let me know and I'll be sure to give you some much needed blog love!

T.J. Carson awarded me the blogger buddie award!



So I can't spend time adding more names, though I'd love to!! I just get too busy and this post has taken longer than my Monday thru Friday posts, but I want to give this away to all of you who regularly comment on my posts. Your support and caring attitude is what keeps this blog alive. I adore all of you!!!

NOW WINNERS FOR THE VIDEO BATTLE CONTEST!!!!!!

So sorry I skipped last week! It was certainly not intentional I just caught up in the madness and I apologize. The first week Shannon won (Congrats again Shannon!)

Bikini vs. One Piece goes to T.J. Carson!!! It was hilarious! If you haven't seen it you really need to check it out here!!



This weeks winner for Tube socks vs. ankle socks was Jennie Bailey!!! (She joined in late and I'm so glad you she did, she had me laughing out loud hysterically!!) Thank you the group for awarding me my own award as well, that was very sweet of you! I hope you all participate in next weeks... trust me this one you don't want to miss! ;) So thank Jennie for playing and I hope you keep it up!



So there you have it you crazy awesome bloggers. That is all I have to give! Now that I'm exhausted from all of this I think it's only fair to visit your blogs and take a break from my own!!!

VIDEO BATTLE: Ankle socks vs. Tube socks and more

Happy Friday!!!

Real World:
The hubs has regular hours!!! They've been going wonderful! It's like we are on vacation. I haven't had this much time with him in well over three years, ever since we moved to Houston. In other news tonight is the big night for Sex and the City 2 with my girlfriend!!! I'm so excited, I've been waiting for awhile and Aidan never did look so good (a character in the story, if you hadn't realized!)

WiP World:
Things are looking up!! Three stories in the works titled Mystic, Finding Me, and The Collector. All bothering my brain wanting to be written. Oh the trouble I've been in, it's taken quite sometime to get to this point and I should be thankful but I would love for them to take turns! The collector has been on the brain for quite sometime but with the hubs working overnights I couldn't write it. It's about a killer who paints portraits his victims before he kills them. Terrifying, as I had it in a dream and nightmares continued throughout the weeks as I wrote more pieces to the puzzle. Now I'm back to working on it and very excited!

Blogging World:
Sundays I write my posts for the week and any extra ideas I have I write throughout the week to prepare for next sundays post writing session! I've had more time during the day to comment on blogs, which is my favorite to do! The hubs and I are still working into a routine so I'm working hard to still visit everyone but not getting crazy in thinking I can always make it around! I'll eventually get it all worked out!

Video Battle:
This weeks is ankle socks vs. tube socks, the hubs idea! I figured I would roll with it!! Next week and the week after I have some awesome ideas planned thanks to the wonderful participants and their fantastic ideas!!!



Those participating this week:
Jessica - The Alliterative Allomorph
Candace - The Misadventures in Candyland
Sarah - T.J. Carson's Writing Endeavors
Katie - Creepy Query Girl
Shannon - Shannon McMahon
Rachel - Open a Window
Susan - Susan Fields
Clara - Pinches of Madness
Angela - Slushpile Slut

**NOT everyone was able to participate but since they've at least agreed to join I figured I would still keep their links on here, they're awesome anyway!*

Truth Thursdays!

One of my fun and meaningless posts for the week, where I share five truths about myself which happen to be very random. It's nearing the end of the week and nice to have a little fun to get through that last push!

1. I'M GOING TO SEE SEX AND THE CITY 2 TOMMORROW!!!!! Addicted? Yes!!! I am not happy they made a second one since the first one was a perfect end, but I also know I can't get enough and being addicted has caused me to want to see the second! I know Kimberly Franklin can relate! So a girlfriend and I are going to see it tomorrow night, since she loves it as much as I do!

2. Habitat for Humanity is so much fun! The hubs and I have gone with a group and painted the inside of a house for a day. I love what they do for the communities and you should really look into your local one and help out for a day! Every person who buys a house in the area you work in has to put their own time into the property which I think is great. No house is given away for free, there really are strict requirements and help that you must go through. It makes me fall in love with the program even more!

3. Strawberry banana daquiris from The Cheesecake Factory are delicious! Yes I do love a good drink at the end of the week and if you ever visit the cheesecake factory make sure to have one of those for me... you'll never be able to go there wihtout one after you have your first!

4. Pancakes and cinnamon rolls are all I need in life. I can alernate between the two of them. Leave me stranded on an island with only a few items... those two would be on the list!

5. I love sunflowers, they are beautiful and last week the hubs came home with some and my heart melted! Men can always pull through when the time is needed!

So there you have it... my truths for the week! Care to share yours?

Determining your characters

So many of us know the importance of finding that perfect main character. The one we take time to mold, describing in detail their clothing, eyes, body type, the foods they like to eat. As a reader not all of this will matter but to a writer every little piece of this persons life must fit like a glove. They don't need to know that your character hates corn however it might have extreme relevance to why she freaks when she is kidnapped and taken into corn fields. Yes the kidnapping itself is horrifying but then to be trapped around corn! What insanity?!

Of course that was a terrible example, but you can see now why knowing your character is very important. I'm always curious to find out how a fellow writer has come to find their character. When writing the story to you just chose a male or female and run with it? As you're writing the novel does she/he just evolve and later you go back and work in the little details?

I normally allow my characters time to mold. I start off with the basics, eye color, hair color and build. I write as me and work into their personality. I have a ton of rewrites when the novel is complete but I want to really get to know my character. E. Elle does something I love on her blog, she writes from her characters perspective as an excersize. It's a wonderful read and it helps her get in touch with her characters. I have recently given it a go and I love it. It really helps me get to know them, their good side, evil sides, every aspect of them.

So how do you find your character? Is it a celebrity you choose? Do you use a nearby friend to gather up all the details? Or just a stranger in the park? Are you a molder where you work on the character while you write, or are they already set up?

I'll tell you quickly that my main character wasn't molded completely until one morning the hubs and I went to Habitat for Humanity to paint houses for the local community. I spotted this red hair, average looking and perfect for my story. It was then I realized she was my main character. You can find them in the strangest places!

Tuesday Twist

QUICK UNRELATED BLOGPOST NOTE: TJ Carson has her famous friday contest every week, you should join! It's a ton of fun and you win a cool badge if you're a winner for that week! She's a very creative chick so hop on over there after choosing what book you'd read!! OKAY NOW BACK TO OUR SCHEDULED POSTING!

I loved all your comments last week!!! Maybe one day Barnes & Noble will read my blog and send a bunch of gift cards my way to start buying the books I spend time talking about! I love a good book, as much as any of you do, however the library is my best friend since I'm not a millionaire and cannot have the beauty and the beast library I dream of!!!

So today's picks!!

First Synopsis - Adult
Beloved author Elizabeth Berg tells the story of the recently widowed Helen Ames and of her twenty-seven-year-old daughter Tessa. Helen is shocked to discover that her mild-mannered and loyal husband had been leading a double life. The Ames’s had saved money for a happy retirement, planned in minute detail, but that money has disappeared in several big withdrawals—spent by Helen’s husband before he died. What could he possibly have been doing? And what is Helen to do now? Why does Helen’s daughter object to her mother’s applying for a job—and why doesn’t Tessa meet a nice man and get married?

What Helen’s husband did with all their money turns out to be provocative, revelatory—and leads Helen and her daughter to embark on...

Second Synopsis - Chick Lit
With the same wicked humor and delicious charm that have won her millions of devoted fans, Sophie Kinsella, author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Shopaholic & Baby, returns with an irresistible new novel and a fresh new heroine who finds herself in a life-changing and utterly hilarious predicament….

When twenty-eight-year-old Lexi Smart wakes up in a London hospital, she’s in for a big surprise. Her teeth are perfect. Her body is toned. Her handbag is Vuitton. Having survived a car accident—in a Mercedes no less—Lexi has lost a big chunk of her memory, three years to be exact, and she’s about to find out just how much things have changed.

Somehow Lexi went from a twenty-five-year-old working girl to a corporate big shot with a sleek new loft, a personal assistant, a carb-free diet, and a set of glamorous new friends. And who is this gorgeous husband—who also happens to be a multimillionaire? With her mind still stuck three years in reverse, Lexi greets this brave new wo...

Third Synopsis - Motherhood
A debut novel that reads like the (unplanned) love child of "Knocked Up" and Bitter is the New Black—about a young newlywed who finds herself unexpectedly pregnant, and the antics that ensue as she grapples with the transition from beer bottles to baby bottles.

The titles of these wonderful reads:
Home safe by Elizabeth Berg
Remember Me by Sophie Kinsella - A favorite of mine!
A bump in the road by Maureen Lipinksi - Another favorite! Laugh out loud funny!

Which one's would you read?

Excersizing the mind

A HUGE ANNOUNCEMENT: Elana Johnson found out that she got a book deal!!! I'm so happy for her, as are others around the blogosphere, so if you don't know her you better because she's fantastic!! Also be sure to congratulate her!!

Now back to our regularly scheduled posting!!

So ever Monday I give you a snippet from a story I'm working on. Mystic is the one I've been recently sharing with you, I opened my notebook one day and the story spilled along the pages.

It got me thinking. I have two excersizes that work well for me, one being tales from the notebook and the other being writings on the wall. For you newbies writings on the wall is a project I started while starting this blog. It gives me a new perspective on writing. I can move the whiteboard to any area of the house and the different views from the windows gives me a new idea, more inspiration.

Both ideas work well for me if I'm stumped on my writing. I can just write something silly, or write the questions I'm having with myself on the board or paper. I give it time to marinate and sooner or later the idea's start to flow. I have used another way to snag ideas as well and it's called ideas from the floor, another one I'm a huge fan of using. So I suppose that means I have three creative writing techniques.

So I was wondering do you have excersizes much like mine that you lean on? Do you ever look at life from a different angle to help with writing? Do you write on the walls, notebooks or floors??

This week I would have shared a snippet but the ideas weren't flowing how I would have liked so talking about writing seems to be the topic this week!

VIDEO BATTLE: Bikini vs. One Piece and more!

Happy Friday to all! Lets bring the sunshine to those who have none, let the snow melt away and the fresh flowers bloom. I'm glad to know that the week is over and the weekend can begin!

Real World:
Weekend plans do you have any? Mine is pool time if it's nice out, girl time if time allows, definite hang out time with the hubs and tons of really bad food because we're both too lazy to cook with all the crazy hours we have endured over the last few months! Glad to know that Monday we get evenings with one another! Woohoo!!

WIP World:
Current status - Revising
Still moving steadily along, about a thousand words a day, they never tell you that most of your revisions are really rewrites... at least if you're a panster like me. Then again maybe it really is just me! I am still very much enjoying the process and along the way learning a whole lot about myself!

Blogging World:
My schedule is still working at a great pace. Each Sunday I write up my posts for the week and then copy and paste each day for the appropriate slot! So far I've been very successful, and I'm hoping it continues! Let me know if there is something you aren't loving so I can change it!

Blog Comments:
Working on it! I am trying to make it around to everyone on the blogosphere but it is so hard to do with 400+ wonderful people following me, but I want you to know I try my very best and I appreciate all the love you give me!!! You comment I comment and then some!! Thanks for the love!

VIDEO BATTLE
This week we have a few newcomers to the game and I'm very excited to have them join us in the fun! I have been looking forward to this each week and I think so have others so without further ado let the summer fun begin!!



Participants:
Jessica - The Alliterative Allomorph
Candace - The Misadventures in Candyland
Sarah - T.J. Carson's Writing Endeavors
Katie - Creepy Query Girl
Shannon - Shannon McMahon
Rachel - Open a Window
Susan - Susan Fields

I will choose the winner over the weekend and notify them of the win! If you'd like to join in on the fun you know where to find me!!

Truth Thursdays!

Yes another installment of Truth Thursdays, I used to say this was one of my easiest posts throughout the week but it's grown harder since it seems I have pretty much told all of my truths. However when the moment strikes and a truth is revealed I write it down so I have my five truths for the day.. okay maybe a few more!!

1. I wish I could have a glass of champagne everyday. I don't in fear that everyone would consider me an alcoholic.

2. The sound of popping makes me cringe, knuckles, neck... ugh just thinking about it freaks me out.

3. The Chiropractor scares me for reason #2

4. I love mexican food, it's the only time I don't mind sauces.

5. I love jalepenos and onions. I could eat an onion raw, they are delicious.

6. The hubs gets regular hours after several months of overnights! Gosh I'm so super excited!! I wish today was Saturday! More time with the hubs!

7. I hate morning traffic, especially when it's unexpected, and I'm in some need of caffiene immediately!

So there you have it, a little bit more about me. How about you... what are your truths?

Questioning Writer's Block

Since I visit so many blogs a day there are so many times that I have ideas that pop into my head for a new post due to a bloggers post for that day. This happened last week, the wonderful j.leigh.bailey had an amazing post! I'm going to steal a little from her but of course I'm making you all aware she grabbed the information first! She's been reading Writer's Digest and with it came a free mini book when she signed up the book was asking if you had what it took to be a writer. She's been posting the weekly columns they have and Week four is the one I want to showcase.

Here is what it said:

Ask twenty writers what causes writer's block, and you'll probably get twenty different answers. The causes of writer's block usually don't have anything to do with writing, but rather are connected to factors that distract writers, keeping them from concentrating on the craft....


You may not have a clear understanding of how you want [your work] to turn out. You may be writing it one way, when you know subconsciously that it would be better if it were treated some other way....


Anxiety about the quality of one's writing is frequently cited as a cause of writer's block. Novelist Dean Koontz claims this is easily solved: "Read a novel by a really bad writer whose work you despise, and tell yourself 'If this junk can get into print, publishers will fight one another for the rights to my book.'"

I was immediately intrigued by the first paragraph only because it couldn't have been more true. So I figured what better way to test this theory then on a blog?! So I ask you... and I'm hoping I get more than twenty responses! When asked what causes writers block what do you say??

My answer: Too many ideas. I find that when I'm in my current WIP I get a major case of writers block when there are so many options, so many paths I could take and so many full flowing ideas running through my mind, I don't have time to sort them out fast enough which causes a blockage I can't break. Thanks to the hubs he listens to all my ideas, offers input and from there normally I am freed from my writers cage! Thanks j.leigh.bailey for posting this!!BTW Dean Koontz's comment still cracks me up!

Tuesday Twist

Another installment of Tuesday Twist where I share three synopsis's that I grab from Barnes & Noble to showcase authors that interest me! As usual you can share your like or dislike for the selections, I always enjoy your thoughts!!!


First Synopsis - Fantasy YA
Laurel's a faerie, and faeries are plants. On her back, a blossom sprouts annually; she binds it down under her shirt to keep the secret. Briefly visiting magical Avalon, where she was born (but which she doesn't recall), she studies plant lore and faerie society. As is traditional in supernatural romance, two boys want her: human David, warm and devoted, and faerie sentry Tamani, sizzlingly attractive and pining for Laurel's return. Trolls stalk and entrap Laurel and her loved ones in the human world, seeking revenge and the gateway into Avalon, while a slick human woman with a special-ops team helps defeat trolls but rouses Laurel's suspicion. As in Wings (2009), Pike brazenly codes physical deformity and asymmetry as evil, and her engagingly clear prose sometimes blunders into floridness when describing Avalon. Among the current cornucopia of supernatural romances (and despite the presumably unintentional humor of a heroine who literally tastes like nectar), though, this one blooms.

Second Synopsis - Chick-Lit
Harper is the youngest attorney in her firm to make partner and, at thirty-five, the oldest one to remain unmarried. It seems the more successful she gets, the faster men run for the door. What to do? Apply her very expensive law school education to the problem, of course!

Third Synopsis - Quick-witted Romance
After a car accident in which her passenger, Marissa, dies, June Parker finds herself in possession of a list Marissa has written: “20 Things to Do by My 25th Birthday.” The tasks range from inspiring (run a 5K) to daring (go braless) to near-impossible (change someone’s life).

To assuage her guilt, June races to achieve each goal herself before the deadline, learning more about her own life than she ever bargained for.

The titles of these fabulous reads:
Spells by Aprilynne Pike
The Blonde Theory by Kristin Harmel
The Next Thing On My List by Jill Smolinski

I have not had the pleasure of reading any of these but they are all one's that sit on my list!

Mondays tales from the notebook

The path that lead into town looked like it had been made directly from the rainbow, colors poured over the cobblestones and every step Tommy and I took seemed to brighten them, it made me giggle as Tommy ran ahead and under his feet lit up like christmas tree.

The trees had crystals hanging off them and they sparkled as bright as the stars, this place radiated beauty.

"Come meet Elsa!" Tommy yelled with excitement.

I ran to catch up, it hadn't been fair, he had visited so many times before that I didn't get an ounce of what I'm sure he experienced. I ran up along side him and told myself I'd look at more later. He led me to a small shop that read - INN - It was cute with two little windows and a bright blue door. Tommy entered first and I followed closely behind.

"Tommy dear how are you?" said a sweet voice from behind the counter.

I couldn't see her so I was surprised that she knew that Tommy had shown up. As she stood up I saw the prettiest girl I has ever laid eyes on, beautiful long black locks, lightly curled all the way to the small of her back, her eyes looked like blue ice so elegant and lively. Her voice was a sweet as her appearance.

"A guest I see" she said as she welcomed me "You must be Emily," I nodded "Tommy speaks of nothing else"

Tommy blushed as she spilled his secret.

--This one is a little short, I wrote it on the spur of a moment. I don't think it has enough umph, excitiing enough, but it's what I had written so naturally I post what was original!--

Battle Winner and Mindless Sunday

Thank you to the participants you joined me in the Video Battle Contest! It was a ton of fun and I really enjoyed everyone's videos!!! I had to choose a winner though, just one and it was tough!!!



I'm a sucker for a ridiculous blonde! If you have yet to see Shannon's video you must check it out here! She has a fabulous blog and the video really made me smile!

I can't wait to see next weeks videos! We have a few more participants and it's not to late to sign up so email me if you'd like to join in the fun!

Mindless Sunday -

Todays plans you ask? Nada, I plan on watching some television with the hubs, going for a walk, eating some lunch, and watching the traffic pass by! I am thinking if it remains sunny and nice outside that maybe a dip in the pool would be nice. These are the days I love Houston weather!!!

What are your plans for this wonderful Sunday? How's the weather in your neck of the woods?

CONGRATS SHANNON!!!

VIDEO BATTLE: Cats vs. Dogs

HAPPY FREAKIN' FRIDAY! Today I am hosting a fun little Video Battle. Each week I'll be selecting a something vs. something competition where those entering will email me - jenniferdaiker(at)gmail(dot)com - and I will give them all the details. From there they will make a fun and witty video to post each Friday and I will choose the winner! This week the something vs. something is:

CATS VS. DOGS


Those who are also participating are:

Candyland
The Alliterative Allomorph
T.J. Carson
Shannon
Creepy Query Girl

So make sure you check out there videos! I'll be announcing the winner tomorrow! If you'd like to sign up for the next round just let me know and I'll be sure to sneak you the secret battle!

truth thursdays and guest blogging

Happy Thurdsay blog buddies!!!

I am so excited to announce that for the first time ever I am going to do a guest blog over at Justine Dell's blog! So go check it out and be sure to tell me what you think!

A few truths before you hop over!

1. I love going to the coffee shop but only go for the muffins
2. I love to buy books at random, just walking into B&N and picking up the first two that catch my eye (who doesn't!)
3. I love brownies but only warmed up and with a scoop of vanilla ice cream
4. My favorite place to write is in bed with my two kitties Lynx and ellie laying with me.
5. I wish it was friday...

What are your truths??

BTW Justine hasn't had time to post it yet but I unfortunately have to post early due to my work schedule so please make sure come back and check it out!

Internal Conflict Blogfest

Here we go baby!!! May 12th is the day!!! Lets do it! Thanks to the Alliterative Allomorph for throwing this super fun blogfest!!

Here goes nothing!

He told me love was sweet, it was like a flower, you had to allow it time to blossom. I bought all that shit. He seemed so adorable and kind, you know the kind of man every woman waits to find. Everyone woman hopes that man loves her as much as she loves him, though we all know that the woman always loves more. I thought I had found him, that he was the one.

We had become inseparable, married after a year of courting. He was handsome, wonderful, my one and only. We loved one another for six years, I woke up each morning looking at him and remind myself how lucky I was to have him, how lucky I was that he loved me. Until he stopped.

I sit here now thinking about it, allowing my insides to be torn out. He ripped them out and stomped on them, every girl has experienced it, in fact I’m the one to which my friends always come to, they always tell me how lucky I am how wonderful of a man I have. Shouldn’t it have been the other way around? Shouldn’t he have been so lucky to have me? I guess I wasn’t enough.

I’m sorry. I guess you just weren’t the right one. I guess I picked to early. that’s what he said to me, like I was still that fucking flower he so desperately wanted me to be. Picked me to early, what a joke, what a stupid metaphor. Why the hell had I fallen for it? What made him so god damn special? I guess I just wasn’t enough flower for him.

Annabelle was. Oh yes sweet, adorable, thin, blonde Annabelle, she was so his type. She laughed at all his ridiculous jokes, touched his chest when she laughed, she paid attention to him he said. We just fell in love, it wasn’t like I was looking for it. How could I have been so stupid? Why didn’t I see the signs? I always told my girlfriends what to look out for, what to avoid, instead I’m the one sitting on the couch with a glass of wine all alone. I’m the one who invested 6 fucking years to a man who just fell in love with someone much younger than him. You see that shit in the movies you never think it’s going to happen to you, until it does.

I should have never come home. I should have worked late like I said I was going to, something stopped me. I decided that I wanted to have a date night with my husband, I mean what was so wrong with that? I even ran by the lingerie store and even picked up something nice to share with him, make his night worth while. I walked in the house, lights were off but I saw candles on the dining room table, two plates set out, it was beautiful. I was so excited I actually was stupid enough to think that he had done it for me! It wasn’t until I heard the moaning in OUR bedroom that I realized that stupid bastard had skipped the main course and went for the trampy dessert.

How was I so stupid? I was so shocked I just stared when I reached the room. I didn’t even say a word, I was so pissed that the words couldn’t even come out, instead I stood there. The stupid tramp looked at me as if she hadn’t known… I knew she had, I visited the office often enough, she was his fucking assistant for Christ sake! He looked at me in shock you weren’t supposed to be home yet he said, umm duh! I was figuring that out myself. I can’t believe that made it alright. He explained quickly what I had already seen and then left, not another word.

Grabbing the bottle of wine I just continue to relive the awful experience in my head, letting it play like a video, what a fool was I. I could just imagine that they were laughing after they left, God what an idiot is she, didn’t even know we were fooling around. How long had it been going on? How long had they fooled me? One bottle wouldn’t be enough, I was looking at two or three bottle’s of wine to make this pain go away. I wanted to puke, how could he have done this to me? How stupid was I not to notice, I mean even Franklin my orange tabby cat new, he looked at me with those cute sad eyes, rubbing against my leg telling me to cheer up, I hoped he was calling his “dad” and asshole. Oh I was taking the cat alright, I was taking the house, the car, the stocks, it was all mine, that stupid prick. I hoped him an Annabelle have fun together after he is broke.

First things first I better change the locks. Guess love isn’t so sweet is it.

**Well there is my entry! I was able rewrite an additional 4K words last night!!! I can feel the fire**

Tuesday Twist

Here is another edition of Tuesday's Twists! Below I have three novels that I've read, would love to read, or would love you to read! Of course as always share your thoughts about each synposis!!!

First Synopsis: Chick Lit
Perpetually discombobulated but adorable Annabelle Granger inherits her grandmother's matchmaking business, renames it Perfect for You and targets Chicago's super-rich, super-aggressive sports agent Heath Champion, better known as the Python, as her first client. Intrigued by this spunky, determined upstart, Heath—who is dead set on finding the ultimate trophy wife by age 35—agrees to give Annabelle a chance despite his contract with Portia Powers of Power Match. Soon Annabelle is introducing him to the Windy City's most extraordinary women, none of whom seem to meet Heath's discriminating standards. Could it be because chemistry has sparked between the matchmaker and her client? From trading barbs the two progress to exchanging kisses—and more. But when Heath finally meets his should-be dream girl and Annabelle's business threatens to go bellyup, they each must face their deepest feelings and make some difficult decisions in the name of love. Phillips has once again created a delightful page-turner.

Second Synopsis: Suspense
From a top secret government laboratory come two genetically altered life forms. One is a magnificent dog of astonishing intelligence. The other, a hybrid monster of a brutally violent nature. And both are on the loose...

Bestselling author Dean Koontz presents his most terrifying, dramatic and moving novel: The explosive story of a man and a woman, caught in a relentless storm of mankind’s darkest creation...

Third Synopsis: Young Adult
Before Carrie Bradshaw hit the big time in the City, she was a regular girl growing up in the suburbs of Connecticut. How did she turn into one of the most-read social observers of our generation?

The Carrie Diaries opens up in Carrie's senior year of high school. She and her best friends -- Walt, Lali, Maggie, and the Mouse -- are inseparable, amid the sea of Jens, Jocks and Jets. And then Sebastian Kydd comes into the picture. Sebastian is a bad boy-older, intriguing, and unpredictable. Carrie falls into the relationship that she was always supposed to have in high school-until a friend's betrayal makes her question everything. With her high school days coming to a close, Carrie will realize it's finally time to go after everything she ever wanted.

Rabid fans of Sex and the City will love seeing Carrie Bradshaw evolve from a regular girl into a sharp, insightful writer. They'll learn about her family background -- how she found her writing voice, and the indelible impression her early friendships and relationships left on her. We'll see what brings Carrie to her beloved New York City, where the next Carrie Diaries book will take place.

What's your order??

Here are the titles:
Match Me If You Can by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Watchers by Dean Koontz
The Carrie Diaries by Candace Bushnell

Tomorrow is the Internal Conflict Blogfest! Be sure to check mine out!!! Also last night I was able to revise 6100 words! I'm so elated, I've adjusted the chapter format and getting rid of too much information! I thiink I finally have it down! Hows your writing going?

Mondays tales from the notebook

Here's another snippet from Emily & Tommy's adventure catching falling stars.

I helped my mom with the dishes and ran upstairs to grab a bag, I didn’t have much time the darker it got the less likely my parents would let me play with Tommy.

“The sun is almost down, maybe you should go another time” my mother said as I rounded back around the corner with my bag in hand. This couldn’t be happening, Tommy had promised me we could catch the falling stars and whether this was a trick or not I needed to find out for myself.

“Mom Tommy and I were going to lay out underneath the stars!” we’d done it over a dozen times, and since it was summer school couldn’t have been her excuse “Please.” I asked nicely, hoping that she’d give in.

“Fine but don’t fall asleep out there, and stay close” she said. I wanted to run and hug her but I figured that would be a little obvious so I stopped myself.

“Thanks” I said and bolted out the front door.

Seconds later I saw Tommy standing in between our houses. He looked impatient but I didn’t mind, he wasn’t going without me and now that I was here he could stop his pouting.

“I’m sorry, I had to convince my mom” I told him, not like he cared.

“We don’t want to miss catching them!” he said rudely, “I’ve been waiting all day for this and Elsa wouldn’t be pleased if I was late through the doors” he started walking, and fast, he was definitely in a hurry.

I wondered who Elsa was, I had never heard of her, and in a town where everybody knew everybody that was something to wonder. I followed closely behind him trying not to trip on my own feet, though I was always more clumsy than I had hoped, especially when hanging around Tommy. Everywhere he went he traveled fast, he didn’t wait for lazy bums he always said. I wasn’t lazy but just hurried along side him to avoid getting yelled at.

“Whose Elsa?” I asked once we had reached the outline of the forest.

“The girl who showed me the stars” he asked, as if I should have put it all together. “She lives in Mystic” he said confidently.

“Mystic?” I asked. We lived in Auburn, a small town in Iowa. Nothing ever happened there, and there was certainly no town named Mystic nearby. It sounded like a wonderful name, a place where stars could be caught but I was beginning to think that Tommy had fallen off his rocker.

“Yes silly, the town we are going to!” he looked at me “Did you think we were going to catch stars here?” he chuckled “Gosh Emily I thought you were smarter than that, we have to travel through the tunnel” he took off walking again. “Let’s not waste time” he said.

I was officially confused. A town called Mystic where Elsa lived, falling stars were caught and the only way to get there was through a tunnel? This seemed unlikely since we didn’t have any tunnels, at least not that I know of and I knew just as much of the town as Tommy did. I decided to hush for a bit and just follow alongside him. We couldn’t walk forever, I know Tommy wasn’t allowed to far away from the house, especially at night.

“Here we are!” Tommy exclaimed, his eyes lit up.

A small shack stood in front of us, there had to be over a dozen cobwebs outlining the building. I was nervous, I didn’t sign up for anything scary, and I sure wouldn’t be the first to enter.
“Are you sure it’s safe?” I asked.

“Yes, I’ve been here 4 times already” he laughed. “Come on Emily take a chance”

He grabbed my hand, and I felt more comfortable as he opened the rickety old door, he was confident and I knew he wouldn’t take me some place dangerous, at least not a place he would have though to be dangerous. We walked silently into the dark, I saw a beam of light coming from farther down the shack, I could see why Tommy called it a tunnel, from the outside it seemed more like an outhouse, but from the inside it was elongated, cold and dark, a few lights lead you down a path. At this point only Tommy knew where we were going, I was still nervous.

“Don’t panic” he whispered “You’ll love it here”

After a few minutes of traveling we came to another door, Tommy pushed it open and there was the town of Mystic. It was like nothing I had ever seen before.

**Hope your Monday Rocks** I'm also trying out a new background... still working on it all but right now I'm liking it!! Either blogger is slow today or my blogspot is!! I hope it's not just me!

Explanation and Tag

Good Morning Bloggers!

I wanted to explain more in detail about yesterdays video. First off I'm glad you all enjoyed them but it seems I didn't explain it very well, not an uncommon problem, I call it Jen talk, my husband understands me along with my family but that's pretty much it. So here are the details...

1. If you chose to participate I'll email you and reveal the something vs. something (example: dragons vs. dinosaurs), I'll make sure to provide all the blog links who are participating so you can link it to your blog so everyone can see who's participating!
2. This is a battle between characters in the video, not between fellow bloggers. That was an idea but it was too complicated to figure out. So you create your own script with characters choosing sides, as always be creative and have fun with it.
3. The battle is between two characters you chose from xtranormal.com, I will link us all together
3. Sign up to xtranormal.com, if you've never signed up it's easy to just fill in the info an start making your video, you choose your own background, characters, everything. Now if you need help figuring it out as always email me and I'll help you!!

I hope I explained it a little better, if you're still confused let me know and I can go into more detail!!

Now onto the Tagging!

So I have been hoarding this Tag that TJ Carson gave me at the beginning of the week and since I haven't done it I thought today would be a great day to complete it!!!

So here is how the game is played. There are 5 questions and you must answer each question 5 times and then TAG 5 people to play. So here goes my 5...

Question 1: Where were you five years ago?
1) Watching Project Runway
2) Living in Des Moines, Iowa
3) Watching the snow disappear and the spring flowers bloom!
4) Looking into college.
5) Getting excited for the state fair!
Question 2: Where would you like to be five years from now?
1) Published.
2) Adopting children.
3) Owning a nice house.
4) Attending a few writing conferences.
5) Eating ice cream
Question 3: What is (was) your to-do list today?
1) Taking a shower and getting dressed.
2) Laundry.
3) Catching up on some blogs.
4) Going swimming.
5) Make some lunch and dinner (Oh it's still morning so some blueberry muffins as well!)
Question 4: What five snacks do you enjoy?
1) Chocolate chip cookies
2) Kazoozles
3) Sopapillas
4) Ice cream
5) apple turnovers
Question 5: What five things would you do if you were a billionaire?
1) Give an amazing christmas to local orphanages.
2) Having a house with a pool.
3) Traveling the world.
4) Owning a house in Montana (my husbands dream and I'd like to make sure it happens!)
5) Making time to visit all my family!

There you have it!!! I'll tag five of you later when I have time! Until then Happy Saturday!

Let the battle begin

VIDEO DAY!!! This is an excellent video today so make sure you listen up! Let the Epicness of Awesomeness begin! This is a weekly deal that I'll be doing and soon I hope more join in!! Candyland and I have decided to start it off! Listen to the first video for more explanation and the second for the actual battle!



My email address is jenniferdaiker(at)gmail(dot)com, so for those of you would would like to participate in the awesomeness let me know!!!

Okay so now for the example of what will happen! Candyland and I have joined forces and started this epic journey to awesomeness. The Battle today is:

DRAGONS VS. DINOSAURS



So like I said, if you'd like to join just send me an email saying so and I'll add you to the list to notify of the next battle! It has been so much fun you should seriously join in!

I won't be posting this weekend so have an awesome one!! (Okay so I might do the tag thing from TJ Carson but lets take it slow and see how things go!!)

truth thursdays!

Happy Thursday awesome blog buddies! Hope the week is flying by!! Today is another installment of Truth Thursdays, one of my favorite days of the week, I know some of you haven't seen this post since the A to Z Blogging Challenge was a rather long one! However this will be a weekly bit where I showcase my oddness and honesty! Enjoy!

(I wanted to give a shout out to my girl Amber Tidd Murphy, if you haven't visited her blog you must, she has the most awesome Thursday posts called TMI Thursday, she is much braver than I am with her truths, but they will make you laugh hysterically!)

1. Lately ice cream has been on the menu for dinner. With the hubs not being home in the evenings it's easy to forget about eating and just go with something easy!

2. I've never liked the name Jennifer, I wanted my mom and dad to name me Brooke Lindsay, I know realize how silly that would have been.

3. I don't drink coffee but I do drink wine!

4. I'm making a quilt for one of my sister's for her new baby girl. It will be my first,I am taking photos and putting them onto a blanket, like a memory blanket! (idea from Step Mom with Julia Roberts) We'll see how it goes!

5. I get scared very easily, if I'm working on one of my WIP's and it's about a killer I can't work on it when the sun starts to go down, otherwise I'll have nightmares!

--Thank you for all of those who commented on the interview with Talli Roland yesterday! It was a ton of fun and I look forward to showcasing another aspiring/published author! If you are interested please email me at jenniferdaiker@gmail.com! I'd love to showcase your work! Now here are the extra questions some fellow bloggers had for Talli, she was sweet enough to take the time to answer them!--

The Alliterative Allomorph asked - How many years of writing and querying, and how many more novels did you write until you found a publisher?

Talli answered: I only started writing seriously about three years ago, but I trained and worked as a journalist for awhile. In the past three years, I’ve written six novels and send out loads and loads of queries to both US and UK agents (I figured if the UK wasn’t interested, maybe the US would be – plus you can email US agents! UK agents usually ask for hard copies). The Hating Game is the latest novel I’ve written, and the one that will finally make it into print!

Laurel asked - How has the discipline of non-fiction writing helped Talli write fiction? I'd love to hear about "non-fic skills every fiction writer needs".

Talli answered: I really had to think about this one! My non-fiction writing demands that I keep it short, snappy and readable, while trying to get in quite a bit of detail. I do lots of research then condense it all down to three or four sentences. It’s definitely taught me not to overwrite on the fiction side, although I might not write enough sometimes. Also, writing to deadlines has taught me how to organize and set targets for both my fiction and non-fiction work.

How did Talli go about choosing her pen name? I bet it is a great story and I'm dying to hear it! :-)

Talli answered: Sadly there’s no great story! Roland is my mum’s maiden name and I wanted to have some emotional connection to my pen-name name, so I decided to go with that. Then my editor and I threw around a lot of first names to try to find the right one. We wanted something different so people would remember, and something that would work well within the chick lit genre. We were firing emails back and forth when she sent me one suggesting Talli. I loved it! And Talli Roland was born!


Creepy Query Girl asked - why do you think your first books didn't get picked up? When you go back and read them now, do you still think they have potential? And in that case, would you consider resubmitting them to publishers once your first fiction comes out??

Talli answered: I don’t think they got picked up because they sucked! My first novel I had no idea what I was doing. I didn’t know anything about plot structure, characterization, the publishing industry… I just went for it and surprise, surprise, no-one wanted it! I got some fairly brutal rejections from UK agents – one simply returned my cover letter with a slash through it and a big ‘NO’ scrawled across it in red (I must see if I can find that letter! I’ll put a scan up if I can find it. I might have chucked it in a fit of anger!) I got better the more I wrote, but there was nothing really unique about my plots or characters. Agents told me my writing was ‘competent’ but my stories just didn’t stand out. I think I was too quick to latch onto ideas that I couldn’t make interesting enough. Choosing the right concept and knowing what you’re going to do with it to make your story stand out is really important in commercial fiction.

Will I go back to them? There’s one novel that won’t leave me alone, so yes, I might go back and have another crack at it.

notesfromnadir asks: What is your favorite brand of chocolate?

Talli answered: Great question! I love Lindt dark orange chocolate with almonds. My husband travels to Geneva quite a bit and he always picks up no fewer than five massive bars for me. I knew there was a reason I love him so!

BTW - T.J. I have not forgotten that you tagged me I just have yet to add it in! I don't want people to leave when they see how ridiculously long my posts have been lately! I hate to drive people away!!

CHECK OUT TOMORROW'S POST!! IT'S GOING TO BE THE EPICNESS OF AWESOMENESS!! An announcement for the upcoming battle of Dragons vs. ?!!!

One More thing and then I'll leave you, if you would like to be showcased on my blog (another sort of interview!) I would love to help you get the word out on your upcoming book! Just send me an email at jenniferdaiker(at)gmail(dot)com!!!

Talli Roland Interview!!!!

INTERVIEW DAY!!!

The wonderful Talli Roland has joined me for her very first interview as a fiction writer!!! I am so honored, especially since this is also my first interview!!! So Let's get started!!!

Thanks for being with us today Talli! I love your blog, especially sweet and salty Sundays where you always showcase some of the yummiest food!

1. I'm very excited to read your book, can you tell us a bit about it?

Thanks, Jen! It’s called The Hating Game, and it’s about a serial-dating woman named Mattie who agrees to go on a dating game show in order to win some prize money to save her ailing business. What she doesn’t know is that the four other male contestants are all very, very unhappy exes! To get through to the end she has to battle their revenge schemes, not to mention an ambitious producer whose career depends on her not winning the money. It’s a romantic comedy – firmly in the genre of chick lit – and it was so much fun to write!

Wow that sounds awesome! I love a good chick lit

2. Whose your favorite character in the novel?

This is a difficult one because there are quite a few kooky characters in the book, but I have to say Mattie, the main character, is my favourite. She’s quite tough on the outside because of difficult dating experiences (and who can’t relate to that!) but inside she’s very vulnerable. In the beginning of the book, she pretty much pushes men away before they can hurt her, but by the end… you’ll have to read the book! : )

What a great teaser! I know I can relate to tough dating experiences! I can't wait to see what happens

3. Do you remember what you were doing when the idea first popped into your head?

Great question! It’s funny; I’ve always been fascinated by reality TV shows (much to the dismay of my husband who detests them) and I’d been toying with the idea of writing something about them. I didn’t know what exactly until one night, after a few glasses of wine (of course!) and as I was about to go to bed, the idea just came to me. I got so excited that I started jotting down a few idea straight away. I originally wanted to call it the Ex Factor (there’s a popular American Idol-style show here in the UK called the X-Factor) but unfortunately that title was taken so we came up with The Hating Game, a play on The Dating Game.

I love the play on The Dating Game! Brilliant idea!


4. How long did it take to finish your first draft?

It took about six weeks of writing each morning. Since I had some other non-fiction projects on the go at the time, I tried to squeeze the 2000 words out of me before 11 am so I could focus on my other deadlines. When I’m writing a first draft, I try to write every day as I find that if I take a break, it’s hard to get back into the flow of things. My first drafts are always rubbish so I don’t worry too much about the words as they come out; I just try to get them out!

Wow look at you writing like a mad woman! My drafts are the same way, messing and awesome!

5. How did you react when you finished? Cry, scream, hug a hobo?

I hugged a hobo of course! Seriously, since this was the sixth novel I’d written, I was just happy to have finished and slightly hopeful something might actually happen this time. The first novel I’d written, I took my husband out to dinner and had him take photos of me with it completed. I was so excited to know that I could actually finish something so huge! I think the first is always a massive accomplishment. By the sixth, you just hope you’re getting better and continuing to learn.

Haha I wish I would have thought about the photos!! My hubs would have really thought I was nuts!

6. How many sets of revisions did you have to go through?

I’m still going through revisions as my editor has given me loads of suggestions and ideas to make the book stronger. It’s exciting but also a bit scary: I just hope I can deliver! I was in a pretty unique position with this novel, as I was already working with the publisher on a non-fiction travel series. As soon as I pitched the idea, they were interested. So I wrote the first three chapters and an outline, got their approval, then finished the draft. I only made very minimal revisions before sending it, as they were quite eager to see it.

Yikes! Lots to do, but at least you are still light-hearted and eager to push through! We are all excited to see the final piece (well I am!)

7. Were you part of a critique group?

I’ve been going to a writers’ group for about a year now. We meet in a pub (perfect location!) and bring three pages of work to read aloud, then we critique. It’s very helpful if you’ve a tendency to waffle on, as the group is always quick to spot it! Also, I find reading aloud helps you with cadence and rhythm. You can tell where your writing is flat or too complex. We always chat and have dinner first, then get down to business!

Holy crap that's like the best thing ever! Beer and critiques, what's better!!

8. Do you have anything else published?

I have two travel books published (London and Paris guide books) under my real name, Marsha Moore (please, no Brady Bunch jokes!). My editor and I decided to go with a pen name for my fiction writing to draw a clear distinction between my work. It’s been quite fun having a pen name, and although I feel slightly schizo sometimes, oddly I feel more comfortable with my inner Talli! : )

I promise no jokes! I love your pen name! I think Talli Roland just rolls off the tongue, and now it feels like you! Maybe I should do the same, Hmmm what should my pen name be? I'm feeling something funky!

9. How was the querying process? How many did you send out?

None for this novel, as I already had an in with the publisher. But I can’t even tell you how many hundreds of queries I’ve sent out for other novels I’ve written. As much as I detest the whole process, I do think learning to summarize your novel in a few key paragraphs is an invaluable skill.


10. What does a day in the life of Talli look like?

Not very exciting, I’m afraid! I get up around 7 am and head straight for the espresso maker. I need the shot of caffeine to get going! Then I crack open the lap-top and scan emails. I don’t check blogs at all because I know I’ll get sucked in and lose three hours without even noticing! I force myself into the office and start writing by 8 am at the latest. I might take a small chocolate break around 10, then carry on writing until 12 when I have a lunch break to watch some of my favourite property shows (they’re strangely fascinating. I’m not sure what it is about real estate that I find so enthralling). I’m back at the desk at 1 pm, usually working on non-fiction stuff until around 4 pm.

After 4 I might go out and forage for some food at the local supermarket, then update my blog and start on my favourite part of the day: reading other writers’ blogs! Since I don’t go out to work, I really enjoy the online interaction. I might have a glass of wine (or two) whilst doing so (sorry for the typos that sometimes occur!). I also watch copious amounts of telly and I’m not ashamed to admit it!

Umm can I be Talli for a day? I love the not so exciting days! Sounds blissful!

11. Were you ever discouraged during all of it?

So, so many times. Sometimes I’d be sitting alone at my desk, while all my friends were at work, watching as rejections trickled in and thinking: What the heck am I doing? Am I crazy for thinking I can actually be a writer? But I tried not to let myself go too far down that path, and I tried to remind myself of all the good things there were about writing. I enjoyed it; I was in control of my output; I was pursuing something I loved! I did have a few major setbacks where I wallowed in my sorrow for awhile until my husband told me to stop feeling sorry for myself and write something new!

I'm glad to know as writers we all feel like this at some point!

12. Anything else currently in the works?

I have a few ideas spinning around in my head for a new novel! I’ll be continuing to work on the travel series, too.

Such a tease, guess you can't share all your secrets huh!

13. Any advice to aspiring writers?

Write because you love it, but if you do want to be published then try to soak up as much industry advice as you can. Don’t be sensitive about your work (the hardest one for me!) because if you want to get better, you need to listen to people. Don’t wait for inspiration to strike – just sit down and write!

Wonderfully said

14. How do you feel about dragons? Is there a certain type you prefer, flying or fire breathing? One's with horns?

Ha! Dragons scare me. A lot. I want to stay far, far away from them. But if I had to choose one type, I want one with all the bells and whistles. Fire-breathing, horns, forked tongue, the works!

Wow that's quite the decked out dragon, well good thing you're better than dragons!

Now for random questions... Ready... Set... Go!

Favorite song: ‘Jump’ by Madonna. A great reminder to go for it!
Favorite writing spot: The office in my flat! Where else could I watch people go through the rubbish bins outside while I write?
computer or notepad: Definitely computer! My writing is so atrocious I can barely understand it myself.
sweet or salty: Oh, Jen. You may have stumped me here! Um… if I had to choose: sweet.
snow or rain: RAIN! People don’t know how to deal with snow here. It’s a national crisis if there’s three flakes in the air.
bicycle or rollerblades: Bicycle. I don’t know how to brake on rollerblades which causes some problems.
chick flick or horror: Chick flick, definitely
favorite book right now: Can I cheat and say anything by Sophie Kinsella? I love her writing style!

Now if you are looking for Talli's Non-Fiction books here is the information:
24 Hours London, Marsha Moore (Prospera Publishing, November 2009)
24 Hours Paris, Marsha Moore (Prospera Publishing, May 2010)
More information can be found from the Prospera Publishing website: www.prosperapublishing.co.uk

So if you aren't following her blog you should be so check it out here!!! Thanks again Talli for one awesome interview!

Ask a question and I'll do a follow up tomorrow if Talli has time!

tuesday twist

This is one of my favorites, so I've decided to bring it back!!! Tuesday twists is where I share a synposis of three stories and you tell me if you'd all of them or none of them!!! At the end I give you the title's and the authors!! Enjoy!

First Synopsis: (The one I'm currenlty reading)
Mina Hamilton's parents want her dead. (Or undead to be precise.) They're vampires, and like it or not, Mina must decide whether to become a vampire herself. But Mina's more interested in hanging out with best friend Serena and trying to catch the eye of the too-hot-for-high-school Nathan Able than in the vampire training classes she's being forced to take. How's a girl supposed to find the perfect prom date and pass third-year French when her mom and dad are breathing down her neck—literally?

Second Synopsis:
Tessa Reynolds is finishing up her junior year of high school. She's just had a humiliating experience at the prom, and she's constantly struggling with her weight and her perfectionist mother.

When she sees a dodgeball zooming toward her head in gym class, she doesn't bother to duck. As she falls to the gym floor, she floats up to what seems to be heaven while examining the scene beneath her. When she arrives, she finds that heaven looks a lot like the mall, where she's spent most of her free time over the years.

After initially rebelling at having to relive what are often painful memories, she slowly begins to gain a better perspective of her life, her friends, and her family. She sees the decisions she made, and now, with hindsight, she can learn from them. She is given the choice to return to her life, and she takes it, armed with a new self-esteem and big hopes for her future. After all, high school doesn't last forever.

Third Synopsis:
With Dan McAndrews's murder finally behind her, Scarlett has high hopes for a fresh start at Wakefield Hall Collegiate, the elite English boarding school her grandmother runs. Unfortunately, those hopes are dashed when her nemesis, the infamous Plum Saybourne, is transferred to the school. Plum wastes no time turning Scarlett’s impressionable classmates against her.

Scarlett has dealt with Plum’s nasty schemes before, and she can handle her archenemy very nicely, thank you—until Plum sets her sights on Scarlett’s best friend, Taylor, and new boyfriend, Jase. Then Scarlett is more than willing to fight for what’s rightfully hers.

Things only get worse after Scarlett becomes entangled in a mysterious death on campus. Scarlett is compelled to investigate because she wants to protect someone close to her. She never imagines that she’ll uncover secrets related to her parents’ fatal accident so many years ago. . . .

So which one's would you read?

Here are the titles and authors:
1. Sucks to be Me by Kimberly Pauley
2. Heaven looks a lot like a Shopping Mall by Wendy Mass
3. Kiss in the dark by Lauren Henderson

NOTE: Tomorrow is Talli Rolands interview!!! Check it out!

Mondays tales from the notebook

Good Morning Bloggers!! Thank you for all of you still reading my blog, I guess dragon boy was wrong after all! So I've devised a plan... well sort of. I have a schedule that I may or may not follow, but at least you will all have some idea of what's in stores for the weeks to come! Thanks to Sandy Shin for showing me how to add color to my writing!!! So here's what's on the menu:

Monday:
Tales from the notebook - Sharing stories from my notebook
Writings on the wall - sharing my inspiration from my whiteboard


Tuesday:
Teaser Tuesday - I think you all know what this means
Tuesday Twist - Summaries of three novels I'd like to read or am reading.
Tube Tuesday - A fun video I make (more dragons vs. Talli Roland to come! LOL)

Wednesday:
Interviews
Fun reads/book reviews
insightful posts

Thursday:
Truth Thursdays

Friday:
Video Day - I'll showcase my own funky video!!! (Candyland we should do one together... and also make it so we are doing them every friday together!!! What do you say?)

Oh the possibilities! Let me know if you'd like to see anything else on the blog!!! But for now lets start the week off right...

Tales from the Notebook -

I was ten the first time Tommy told me about Mystic. We sat on the tire swings until our mothers called us for dinner.

"You can catch the falling stars" he said.

"You can't catch stars Tommy, they're balls of gass, you'd burn yourself" I said, clearly disappointing him. I hadn't intended to burst his bubble.

"You're wrong" he said.

I knew I was right, we'd just talked about it in Mr. Tucker's science calls the other day. Tommy had still seemed so matter of fact that I couldn't help but be a little curious.

"Prove it." I blurted out, I had surprised even myself but I'd figured what did either of us have to lose, maybe a little of his ego. I didn't think he'd actually take it any farther.

"After dinner" he said as he jumped off the swing. "bring a bag."

"A bag?" I asked, "Where are you going" I said as I too jumped off the swing.

"Speeding up dinner" he yelled running across the field "Bring a bag to catch the stars" he finished as he approached his front door.

How silly was this, I was going to eat dinner and catch falling stars, what a joke. He was so excited and yet I was still skeptical, when was he going to give it up? When was he going to quit joking around. I guess after dinner.

THERE YOU HAVE IT!!! Enjoy your Monday!!!

Awards!!! Get yours here!

So every Sunday it seems I am dishing out awards, the same is true this weekend!! It seems that you guys might love me a little, or A LOT!!!! Yay! I love the blog love... even more I love giving away the blog love, so here we go!

FIRST UP:

AWESOMESAUCE AWARD GIVEN BY AMBER TIDD MURPHY (She is seriously awesome, no wonder she got the award first!)

WINNERS:

1. KAREN AMANDA HOOPER - Eternal Moonshine of a Day Dreaming Mind
2. MEGAN REBEKAH - Megan Rebekah Blogs and Writes
3. CANDYLAND - The Misadventures of Candyland (I'm sure she already has a gazillion, but that's only because she's super awesome!!)

SECOND UP:

BLOGGER BUDDY AWARD GIVEN BY JAI JOSHI (She's such a great girl, if you haven't visited her blog you're truly missing out!)

WINNERS:

1. JUSTINE DELL - Justine Dell
2. LAURA MARCELLA - Wavy Lines
3. T.J. Carson - T.J. Carsons Writing Endeavors

THIRD UP:

SUPER COMMENTOR AWARD GIVEN BY SARAHJAYNE SMYTHE (Every day is a new adventure with her and I consider her such a cool and awesome blog buddy!!)

I have so many people I want to give this too!!! You all mean so much to me with the sweet comments you send my way!!! I have a a link on my sidebar called Those who love me lots... if your name is on it, you my friend just caught yourself an awesome award!!

FOURTH UP:

TO COOL FOR SCHOOL AWARD GIVEN BY CANDLYAND

I'm going to cheat once again, anyone who comments on my blog deserves this award and if I could re-gift to Candyland I would! So this award is for everyone, but to showcase some of the funtastic people out there I'll pass it out to a few...

KIMBERLY FRANKLIN
KRISTIN CREATIVE
AMY SAIA
THE ALLITERATIVE ALLOMORPH
JAYDEE MORGAN


Other exciting news!!!!

T.J. Carson hosts an awesome contest on Fridays! The rules are simple:

RULES:
1) You must comment your response on THIS post.
2) I need you to name what person/place/thing (NOUN) you want to BE.
3) You need to list 3 reasons why you want to be this NOUN.
4) Write a brief paragraph about what you would do if you were this NOUN for a day (5-10 sentences).

I was awarded her FAMOUS FRIDAY WINNER along with two others Laura Marcella and Susan Fields! I was ecstatic and I am proud to show off something that will be hanging on my blog soon enough!!!


A shout out to Sandy Shinn she tagged me for the dream man... I have not forgotten, but chosing this isn't easy, this will take work and dedication so I hope to have it up by next Sunday!!! Just didn't want you thinking I had forgotten!

**I loved the comments everyone gave me on my cool video yesterday, I'm thinking I might do a weekly one, keep it nerdy and comical of course! Let me know your thoughts!**

BTW sorry for shoving so much into one post but I see everyone's awesome blog backgrounds and changing colors in their posts, please feel free to give me tips on changing colors on my posts, I'm not looking to change the whole thing, I love the gray, I just want your names to POP when I'm giving out awards!!